The rally will take place on Saturday 11 October in Nottingham Market Square at 12.30. A washing line of pages from the online petition, currently at over 2,750 will "be hung out to dry" to demonstrate how Amdani himself has been left "hanging on" for over 5 years, waiting for a decision to grant him a safe and secure future and allow him to get on with his life. The Home Office has delayed the hearing
scheduled for Tuesday, 14 October prolonging the wait even further. Nottingham North MP Nick Palmer has added pledged his support to Alan Simpson and industrialist Lance Clark, major shareholder in Clarks shoes who is involved in charitable work in Africa with people who
have AIDS has signed the Online Petition.

Since he was granted bail pending a Judicial Review on 8th June 2008 Amdani has not been allowed to continue with his paid employment and has had to take a 40 mile round trip from Nottingham to Loughborough every week to sign. During the long wait and uncertainty, local people have continued to support him and his case and to raise awareness about his huge contribution to the region in the area of HIV prevention work and refugee integration.

Notes for Editors

 http://www.petitiononline.com/amdani/petition.html contains many testimonials from the community and has over 2,750 signatures. Paper petitions stand at over 3,000.

A short campaign video paying tribute to our good friend Amdani Juma can be seen on YouTube:  http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7qNho3_auGA

Background

Amdani Juma, a refugee HIV prevention and community worker in Nottingham, was detained by the immigration authorities on Friday 30th May 2008. He spent 18 days in detention during which time a flight was booked for his removal on two separate occasions. Following protests by local people, local and national organisations, a meeting between Liam Byrne and Alan Simpson and representations from his solicitor, Amdani was released on bail on 10th June 2008 pending a Judicial Review.

Amdani is a Burundian national. In 2003, he was granted 3 years Humanitarian Protection but his application for Indefinite Leave to Remain was turned down. A further application for discretion on the grounds of his contribution to the Nottinghamshire and East Midlands community was also refused. Alan Simpson, MP for Nottingham South, and Nottingham Council leader Jon Collins have both spoken out in opposition to Amdani’s proposed removal. Local people have rallied to his support with three demonstrations in Nottingham and an online and paper petition combined have a total of over 6,000 signatures.